There are 3 main problems with this movie: 1) the director was too intent on making a dark, alien abduction/Rosemary's baby film, 2) the soundtrack also was so dark that it didn't really leave any doubt about what was going on, and 3) the ending was as typical as they come in thrillers.

The material, and the general story are full of possibilities that are simply abandoned in favor of the obvious and predictable. The script tells us that Jillian (Charlize Theron) has experienced serious mental/emotional problems in her past. This element of the story could have kept us in doubt through the whole film: Is her "husband" now an alien, or is it all her delusional mind at work? Yet, the ominous soundtrack never leaves us in doubt: this is not a case of possible mental breakdown - it is an alien movie. Nor does Johnny Depp's emotionless and increasingly ominous delivery of lines (emphasized, to be sure, by the music) leave any doubt after a short time. Pity that the director didn't employ more ambiguous, less "atmospheric" music and more light (this is a very dark film), and direct Depp in a more ambiguous, less ominous delivery of his lines (of which Depp, one of my favorite actors of all time, is more than capable). A less "heavy-handed" approach by the director would have kept us wondering whether to believe Jillian's suspicions or to be suspicious of her, ourselves. The end, is likewise pregnant (excuse the pun) with possibilities, yet the writers and director settled for the same old-same old that we have seen countless times. Please - no sequel!

I have to say, I always enjoy Johnny Depp's work. He is a chameleon; an actor who can take literally any role, who can step outside the boundaries of typecasting. And, his performance in this film is in no way weaker than any other character; it is merely a role that not many are likely to recall when asked about him. The film builds decently enough. Depp and Theron play a married couple, and a significant element of stress begins to grow on Theron following Depp's events during an orbital assignment given to his character.

I also like Charlize Theron; my one nitpick is how she seems to always find her way into these 'tormented woman' roles, like in the Devil's Advocate. Her skills are not necessarily hindered by this repetitiveness; I just find it a redundancy she needs to work beyond. Those of you watching this film for a horror-themed thriller are going to be mostly put off. This film really does not rely to such an extent the horror mechanisms; rather it builds the tension through a number of strictly dialogue scenes, using the plot to intrigue rather than scare tactics.

The ending - quite literally, the last twenty minutes, is the only place you're likely to see what may be called horror. I will not give away what happens here; you have to watch it and see. All I will say is that the ending left me anticipating more. That said, my overall opinion is this movie is satisfactory at best, not a true stand out in the annals of cinema history, but certainly not one of the poorest examples of the profession.

Astronaut's wife is nowhere near as bad as its reputation suggests. In fact I honestly found it to be engrossing, while being deliberately slow-paced. It really does echo Rosemary's baby throughout. It's almost as if the filmmakers were heavily influenced by it, and wanted to make a tribute to it of sorts. The eerie atmosphere definitely helps things, as there was more than one occasion I felt creeped out. Astronaut's Wife relies on messing with your mind, and making you think. It really is a movie that requires at least a couple of viewings in my opinion, to fully appreciate it. Some people accused of Johnny Depp of being too low-key here, I respectfully disagree. I thought he handled the part beautifully and was very creepy. I think many people hate this movie is because of the deliberate slow pace, and that it tried to be something different. Rosemary's Baby was hailed as a classic, but not without a fair amount of controversy in between. Astronaut's Wife's criticism was much harsher, but in the same mold.

Performances. Johnny Depp is perfectly low-key here. He garnered a lot of criticism for his portrayal, but he was great in my opinion. He gave me the willies on more than one occasion. Charlize Theron is excellent in her role. She carried the film very well, and had a perfect chemistry with Depp. We aren't sure if she's crazy or not, and that was a tough feat to pull off. Joe Morton is suitably creepy and mysterious in his role. Clea DuVall is rather wooden and unlikable in her role.

Bottom line. It is far from perfect, but I still quite enjoyed it. Accept its deliberate pace and put your brain on thinking mode. I dislike the hatred this film gets.Recommended

7/10